The National Affairs Desk of Glorious Noise

A recent Zogby Interactive poll (April 28-May 1) shows what most people—at least those who aren't gobbling down OxyContin by the hands-full—know, which is that American voters aren't thrilled with what is occurring in the White House. That is, while something is being made of Tony Snow's addition to the staff as chief flak, the survey that includes a finding that Snow's appointment is a good move (50% say it is; 40% say it isn't) also includes the result that 36% of voters think the Administration is having problems due to its inability to articulate its message while 58% think that it's the policies themselves, not the message, that's the problem. Spin all you want, but when people can hear seemingly every day of the military personnel dying in Iraq, gas prices elevating, absurd appointments to positions of authority, and the burgeoning deficit, no matter how much of a silver-tongued devil Snow may be, the facts on the ground are what really matter.

Rumsfeld, not surprisingly, is supported by the President, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and 42% of the voters polled. Fifty-two percent think that he ought to go. Rumsfeld has a job approval rating in this Zogby poll of just 38%. Pretty bad, right? Well, not if you're Rummy, because his boss, the Commander in Chief, has a 37% job approval rating.